Today, the High Commissioner has once again chosen to release another one-sided statement devoid of context, turning a blind eye to Palestinian terrorism.
Yesterday, Israeli security forces sought to arrest three Palestinian terrorists responsible for carrying out deadly attacks on Israelis and who were preparing to carry out more horrific acts of terrorism. Israeli forces surrounded the terrorists and requested they turn themselves in. Instead, the terrorists opened fire, used explosives and threw Molotov cocktails from highly densely populated areas resulting in a wider exchange of fire. Israel regrets any innocent loss of life which may have occurred as a result.
Unfortunately, the Palestinian Authority continuously fails to take any action against terrorists operating in its territory. In fact, it does the contrary by actively encouraging terrorism through the brainwashing of Palestinian children and its own “pay-for-slay” policy.
In addition to this, last night and this morning, terrorist organisations in the Gaza Strip indiscriminately fired a number of rockets at Israeli civilians. In response, the Israel Defense Forces struck a Hamas weapon manufacturing site and a military compound, which was purposely located next to a mosque, school and military clinic. Hamas intentionally operates from within highly populated civilian areas, endangering Palestinian lives and using innocent Palestinians as human shields.
Ambassador Meirav Eilon Shahar, Permanent Representative of Israel to the UN in Geneva, said “Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorism and will continue to do so while abiding by its international obligations. I call on the High Commissioner to focus on all the facts, to condemn Palestinian terrorism and to demand the Palestinian Authority acts against Palestinian terrorists and ends its “pay-for-slay” policy which encourages the murder of innocent Israelis”.
ENDS